Deaf Mask Poem by Laurence Overmire

He never saw her turn on the radio or
Put an album on the phonograph
She completely lacked a sense of music in her soul
As if something had died
Before he was born
Silence was always preferred
For her, he kept his mouth shut
His feelings too, always unwelcome
Even so, he found the note, the pure tone

That hung

Like an icicle outside the glass
Brought it inside, the warm hold of his heart
Composed his own lyric
A melody of unbroken song
To string together
The loss of those years
The rhythm pounding through the empty space
Between anger and fear
Until something held prisoner

Finally broke free

Always in his head
A new song begging to be heard
The tin cup rattling over the bars
The jailer unable to sleep.

~ Laurence Overmire